Tarot for Life: Reading the Cards for Everyday Guidance and Growth

One of the things that impressed me about "Tarot For Life" was the foundation of esoteric and mystical material, combined with Jungian psychological theory. Quinn based his Major Arcana presentation on the Tarot septenary (also known as the 3X7 theory). Quinn gives nods to Rachel Pollack (for her concepts on the trump numbers reductions), Christine Payne-Towler (for her historical research in the Tarot septenary), and Mary Greer for giving him permission to share many of her collaborative reading techniques.Quinn sees the use of the Tarot as one way of letting both our inner and outer universes know that we are listening. He also talks about that guiding force that leads us to communicating with Life through the symbolic language of dreams, images, and coincidence.From the book: "Know Thyself " is not a private indulgence, it is a global imperative. Our world is in need of radical awakening and transformation, a process that accelerates as we look honestly at the beliefs and motives that drive our actions, observe how those actions play out on the personal as well as collective levels, and learn to make more loving choices. Until we recognize our creative purpose and power - with or without the aid of the Tarot - we weaken under the limitations of conditioned responses, the manipulation of an anxiety-driven media, the bullying of dogmas, and the mind-numbing complacency of escapist lifestyles."Before you even begin to read the book Quinn suggests that one card be drawn, to represent why you were led to pick the book up in the first place. Well, I skim books from back to front before I read them, so I had to go back and draw this card. From the Alchemical Tarot Renewed (by Robert Place) I drew Knight of Swords. Place talks about this Knight slaying evil and righting wrongs, but he also talks about the quality of being judgmental. In reality I felt that this book gave me power - a deeper understanding of the septenary, and a better understanding of the vertical as well as horizontal relationships between the cards using this theory.In the beginning of the book Quinn talks about taking the Tarot beyond fortune telling. In his "treasure box" he lists a number of ways that the Tarot can be used in real life, such as using them as a set of visual affirmations, or as a perspective enhancer.Quinn also lists six principles that underlie the Tarot:1. As Above, So Below2. The Law of Attraction3. Synchronicity4. The Self and Individuation5. Integration of Opposites6. Masculine and FeminineIn his chapter on the structure of the Tarot, Quinn introduces the concept of the septenary - three rows of seven cards each (I - VII, VIII - XIV, XV - XXI), with the Fool centered above them. Quinn has entitled these rows The Essentials for the Journey (I - VII), The Inward Path (VIII - XIV), and The Heat Is On (XV - XXI).The Minor Arcana are defined traditionally:Wands/Fire - desire, vision, ambition, challengeCups/Water - feeling, merging, imagination, depthSwords/Air - intellect, clarity, conflict, judgmentPentacles/Earth - physicality, stability, security, moneyThe Court Cards are defined as sixteen different types and personalities. Pages are the parts of us that are curious, Knights embody the warrior archetype. Queens represent the soul of their particular element, while Kings carry an external focus of doing.In discussing how to use this book, Quinn addresses reversed cards, shadow aspects, and just when the cards are there to give advice. In his presentation of the cards, the deck used is the Rider-Waite. The card presentation begins with a short quote and a black and white scan. There is a discussion of the quality of the card, of where it lies on its line of seven cards, how it relates to the cards around it, the mystical symbols on the card (I wish I had access to this information much earlier in my studies!), a small story (from Quinn's life experience, or from the life experience of one of his students or clients), a list of card attributes, and a list of question for reflection.At the end of the book there is a chapter entitled "Intimate Conversations: Reading For Yourself". There are some very good insights here, including when "not" to read for yourself. (When you are feeling spacey, when you are feeling down on yourself, and when you become obsessed.)A sample interpretation is given using the Celtic Cross spread, with templates given for a seven card Chakra spread, a three card Solution spread, a one card Yes/No spread, a seven card Exploring Options spread, a three card Life Journey spread, two card spreads for Let Go/Grow and Gift, as well as a three card Past Life spread. Tips are also given for creating your own spread.Quinn also goes into phrasing questions in the best possible manner, reading for others, and when "not" to read for others (or for yourself).There are appendices at the back of the book for Major Arcana attributions for Soul Task, Shadow/Excess and Deficiency/Blockage (reversed), and number meanings, Astrolgoical and Planetary Correspondences, and the Chakras.I found this book to be easy to follow, containing an enormous wealth of information, and well enhanced with Quinn's own life experiences, as well as those of his students and clients. I feel that this is an essential book for any Tarot library, for any level of Tarot student.

I'm finding that this book is the culmination of my decades-long search to find the best book for reading with the RWS. The card meanings are perfect -- they all make sense to me, and they all work well when applied to present-day people doing present-day things. There's a nice balance of psychological and spiritual insight. There's also a clear and consistent logic to how Paul sees each card's shadow and reversed meanings.I have a lot of fondness for the reading-details-of-the-imagery-intuitively approach, and have in fact been reading Marseille decks that way for years. But lately, for RWS-type decks, I've been favoring the each-card-has-a-set-meaning approach, and that's the approach taken in this book. Each card has a core concept, which can manifest in different ways depending on the context, but that core concept will be the same for that card no matter what reading it appears in.Paul gives modern psychological/spiritual interpretations for many (but not all or even most) of the small visual details of the RWS. Most of them are probably not what Waite or Smith had in mind when they created the deck, but they all make sense and are presented in a direct and easy-to-understand manner. A good amount of depth is provided for each card, without overwhelming the reader.Unlike most tarot authors, Paul is actually a good writer and his book is a pleasure to read, with a good dose of humor. The numerous real-life-reading examples and quotations are a great resource. I've made myself a booklet from the summarized meanings at the end of each card chapter to use when doing readings, as a way to help learn the meanings.I avoided this book for a long time because it seemed to offer nothing particularly new, but I was wrong! The general approach is in line with mainstream tarot interpretation for the last few decades, but Paul has constructed a set of meanings that stands above others for its clarity and logic and usefulness, and his presentation is terrific. I honestly think that anyone, whether newbie or old hand, would get a lot from this book, and I highly recommend it.

My grandmother had a variety of country sayings to describe various human states and conditions. If a person was unfocused and flighty, they might be described as "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off." That's me with Paul Quinn's book. Now I did read sequentially from the Forward through the end of Part One, but then manic delight took over, and I've been zooming around the book ever since, wondering "Well, what does he think about reading for yourself, about when NOT to,and what's this on Clear Intention?" Paul's enthusiasm for his subject is infectious, and I can't read this book fast enough front to back, so I'm trying sideways and every other direction.I should mention if it hasn't already been, that the quotes before each section and card are worth the price of admission themselves! The breadth of his reading astonishes, and he combines this wide variety pitch perfectly for each section and card, which serves to deepen the meaning of what the reader is about to learn. And learning I am. Though I've been with the Tarot for about 25 years now, I took a break for a while and this past winter have been putting myself through something of a Tarot refresher course. I read Robert Place's book, and was on my way to getting another book on Tarot on Amazon, when I stopped to read about Tarot for Life, and got it instead. No mistake there! In fact, early on in the book, in the Introduction, we are urged to find our Inner Tarot Teacher, and that card Paul says, will tell us why we were led to his book. I picked the tenth Trump, The Wheel of Fortune. No doubt about it, I'm on a roll with the Tarot again, and feel the spirit of joy, wonderment and intellectual curiosity that Paul Quinn brings to the subject both magnifies and focuses my own journey with it. This book is a treasure in Tarot writing and shouldn't be missed.

I wish I had found this book sooner. It is written so you can pay attention and actually learn while you are reading.

This book is fantastic if you want to use tarot as a form of self- improvement. The book gives an in-depth view into the cards and the symbolism on the cards. It is a lot to take in if you are a beginner. However, its perfect for an intermediate tarot reader. If you find that you know the basic meanings of the tarot cards and you're looking for a bit more depth to add to your interpretation of the cards, this is the book for you! So glad I got it!

I came to the book after hearing the Author on Jim Harold's Paranormal Podcast, I have been a tarot reader for a number of years and have been searching for an accessible self development book as I have become really interested in that aspect of the cards, the book is easy to use and offers valuable insights into the card meanings which so many other books have missed, it has given great depth to my readings and really refreshed my feelings about the cards, definitely a must buy.

A great adjunct to the various sources I use as a beginner in working with the Tarot creating my life and guiding my choices.

Easy to understand. Does what it says.